Paper umbrella



1933. s. z. WILLIAMS 1,924,427

PAPER UMBRELLA Filed May 15, 19:52

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M @d, W/Wdyez Patented Aug. 29, 19,33'

' UNITED STA 1,924,427 PAPER UMB ELLA Seaborn Z. Williams, Clevelandrdhio Application May '13, 1932'. seria noiciross .1

10 Claims. (cl. 1a5 20 I Thisinvention relates to umbrellas and its object is to provide an umbrella of a type so in'expensive that it maybe discarded, once used.

, The invention comprises, generally improve- 1 ,5 ments over that of my copending application, Se-j rial No. 611,054, filed of even date herewith.

The invention contemplates, as a further object, a construction entirely or substantially so, of paper or equivalent similar material, and to this end the invention includes numerous devices by which the material is employed in the umbrella structure. i

The exact nature of this invention together with further objects and advantages thereof will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figs." 1-4 inclusive illustrate one embodiment and Figs. 5 and 6 another. More particularly Fig. 1 is a detail in sectional elevation showing pertinent parts ofthe umbrella in exdetails of the rib member employed; Fig. 4 is a detail in elevation showing a preferred manner of joining rib andstrut members; Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modification employing a differl ent type of strut means; and Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the same to a reduced scale. 7

With reference now to the drawing and particularly Figs. 1-4 thereof, it will bev apparent that the principal parts and their general dis- The principal parts of the frame are a stem,

spindle or handle, 1, a plurality of ribs 2 swingably connected withthe end of the spindle, a sleeve 3 slidable along the spindle, and for each rib 2 a strut 4 joining the sleeve 3 with the rib, intermediate the ends; of the latter, the strut having flexible connection with those parts which it connects; so that, as in the ordinary umbrella, sliding motion of the sleeve 3 along the'spindle 1 will adjust the ribs 2 between extended relation, that indicated Fig. 1, and a closed position wherein the ribs and struts are alongside the spindle.

The spindle 1 is preferably of circular section and may comprise a roll of paper as indicated in the drawings, and as more fully described in my :50 said copending application. 1

According to this invention the rib and stru members are each formed from a strip of paper of suflicient thickness for the purpose intended, longitudinally bent to forma T-sectio'n with a tended relation; Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective extendingtherefrom, as indicated: Figs. 2 and This T-sectio'n ischaracteristic of these frame members, that is, each, of these "members has such section'throughout most of its length.

' Considering now one of the: rib members; it has this section throughmost of itsextentA At its outer end the stem part 5 of the-T,may -be extended into a V as at '7, Fig.2, during the operation of .theumbrella as. willappear. At its 7 other end, the stem part 5 is folded upon one of the arm parts 6 as at 8, Fig.3.

.The spindle ends of the ribs, ithus fiattened,

' are secured with the spindle 1 as between a pair of annular members 10 fitting over the spindle end. Theparts, being 'of. paper or the like, may

be gluedtogetherto maintain the. described as 'sembly; in which it will be apparent that the ribs have rigidity substantially through their lengths, but each may flex at its flattened end, andthus has flexible connection with the spindle 1 for swinging movement in the plane of the The function of the struts 4 is obviously to join the sleeve 3 with the ribs 2, that the latter may have adjustment by manipulation of the former, to open and close the umbrella and particularly the cover 9 thereof. a

Each strut 4 has rigidity throughout and along its intermediate partgby; virtue of the. T-sectibn described. At its sleeve end each strut is flattened as are the ribs. The sleeve ends of the struts are secured to the sleeve as by binding thereto with a strip of paper 11 bound;thereabout, the parts being also glued. i i

Eachstrut is at its opposite end-joined with its rib, preferably in themanner indicated. An

end part 12 is disposed over the ribin nested re-j lation, the stempart 5 of thestrutstraddling that of the, rib, and the arm parts 6 of. the strut being glued to those of the. rib. Preferably the stem part 5 of the rib is notched as at 13 Fig. 4 down to the arm parts 6 so that a hinge joint is defined at 14, thebottom of the notchlB. By this arrangement the intermediate part of the strut will remain rigid and undeformed, it will have in 9 stem part 5 of doublethickness and arm parts 6 f If preferred, the notch 13 may beomitted.

Cit

. of the ribs, the stem parts .5

Thereupon when the strut is flexed by its relative motion with the rib, it will be deformed, tending to assume a shape characterized by a W-section;

The cover 9 being secured to the faces 6 of the ribs 2, as the parts are extended to spread relation, that indicated Fig. 1, the ribs may spread at their outer ends as indicated at 7, Fig. 2, contracting to the typical T-sectioh as the umbrella is closed. v 1 V With reference now to the modification of Figs. 5 and,6, the construction is similar to that described except that conical strut means are em v ployed. Such means comprise a cone 4a of paper having its apex end secured with the sleeve 3 in any. convenient manner. At its periphery themember 4a is slit radially at 15 to match the spacing of the ribs 2, and therebetween bent to jecting into the slits l5.

As the umbrella is opened and closed the conicalistrut member 4a will crease along natural radial lines similarly as the cover 9 'acts under the same conditions.

What I claim is: w

1. In an umbrella of the class described and. having a spindle, ribs, secured to one end thereof, and a sleeve movable therealong, strut means joiningsaid sleeve with said ribs and comprising a conical member of paper, said member being bent to form a peripheral flange, and a cover over said ribs and secured to said flange.

I 2. In an umbrella of the class described having a spindle, a sleeve, and ribs, said ribs being secured to one end of said spindle and comprising a spindle, ribs secured to one end thereof, a

sleeve movable therealong, and a cover, strut means joining said sleeve with said ribs and comprising a conical memberv of paper, said ribs com- .prising strips of paper longitudinally bent to form T-sections with stem parts and arm parts, the latter defining a cone, saidconical member being bent to form a peripheral flange lying in said cone, and having radial slits to clear the stem parts of the rib members, said cover being positioned over said ribs and strut means and secured to said arm parts of said ribs and said flange part of said strut means. r

4. In an umbrella frame, a pair of cooperative of the ribs pro-' rib and strut members, each comprising a strip.

of paper longitudinally bent to form a T-section with a stem part of double thickness and arm parts extending therefro1n,,said strut. member having the arm parts at its end overlying and secured to those of said rib member.

5. In an umbrellaframe, a pair of cooperative rib and strut members, each comprising a strip 'of paper longitudinally, bent to form a T-section with a stem part of double thickness and arm parts extending therefrom, said strut mein-j ber having an end overlying said rib member, with its stem partstraddling that of said rib member and its arm parts secured to those of said rib member.

6. In an umbrella frame, a pair ofcooperative rib and strut members, each comprising a strip of paper longitudinally bent to form a T-section with a stem part ofdcuble thickness and arm parts extending therefrom, said strut member having an end overlying said rib member, with its stem part straddlingthat of said rib member and its armparts-securedto thoseof sai'd 'rib member, the strut member stem part being cut away to locate a swinging joint between said members. r V Y 7. An umbrella frame member comprising a strip of paper longitudinally bent to form .a T- section with a stem part of double thickness and arm parts extending therefrom, said stem'part at an end of said member being folded upon one of said arm parts whereby said member'at said end is flexibie in the plane of said parts, an-d'else- Where has rigidity.

8. In an. umbrella. frame having a spindle, a

rib comprising a strip of paper longitudinally.

bent to forms. T-section with a stein part'of double thickness and arm parts extending therefrom,

said stem part at the spindle end of said rib being folded upon one of said arm parts and sea cured to saidspindle, whereby said rib may swing in plane of said spindle but has rigidity at points removed from said spindle.

9. In an umbrella frame-having a spindle, a plurality of cooperative ribs, each rib comprising a strip or" paper longitudinally bent to form-a T-' section with a stern part of double thickness and arm parts extending therefrom, said stem parts at the spindle ends of said ribs being folded each upon one of its arm parts, and a pair of annular members arranged about said stem to 'secur therebetween said flattened rib ends.

10. In umbrella-ci-the class described and having a spindle, ribs secured to one end there of, and a sleeve movable therealong and arranged to control associated strut means joining said sleeve with said ribs, said spindle having a conical portion and said sleeve comprising acorrespondingly conical member of rolled paperjsaid' sleeve and spindle 'being'so proportionedthat their conical parts may have frictional" engagemerit to maintain said strut andrib means in ex-j 

